mario

... the eight principles which are:

Yama; or the Code of conduct that is, self-restraint

Niyama; religious observances - commitments to practice, study and devotion

Asana: integration of mind and body through physical activity

Pranayama: regulation of breath leading to integration of mind and body

Pratyahara: abstraction of the senses, withdrawal of the senses of perception from their objects

Dharana; concentration, one-pointedness of mind

Dhyana: meditation (quiet and non-sensual activity that leads to samadhi)

Samadhi; the quiet state of blissful awareness, superconscious state

It must be remarked that although called eight-limbed, it is really a Royal Road to self-realization, with each limb leading into the next, ending with the goal, or Samadhi (and the union sought).

Raja Yoga taking control

More easily explained, first you must learn self-control. Without it nothing that follows is possible. In conjunction with the self-control, you must practice religious observances, and seek to expand your quality of devotion. These two lead to Asana, or an integration of mind and body.

At this stage, you are ready to begin control over the breath, which is main life force that animates our existence. As in each subsequent practice led the way to the next, so this stage prepares one ...more

Yoga for kids - The Benefits That Keep on Giving

...kids and yoga. This may seem like a curious conceptmixing young children, whose boundless energy brings up images of wrestling and food fights, with the ancient art of yoga, a calming discipline to align body and mind.

But yoga and children do mix, and there are incredible benefits.

In our modern society, yoga is thought of as a physical practice of postures or poses (known in yoga as asanas.) The word yoga means 'union' and the practice of yoga is believed to bring together body, mind, and spirit. More and more, educators are seeing that a program of yoga brings these benefits to not only adults, but children as well.

Benefits

Physically, yoga addresses an awareness of the body through stretch, strength, coordination, and balance poses. Yoga aids many body systems including digestion, ...more

Yoga and Losing Weight: An Introduction

...like this idea of weight lose enroll yourself in a yoga beginner's class and go bit by bit. Initially, you may find it hard but with the time you will feel results very effective. The basic phenomenon of Yoga is putting you into a variety of different positions, some more challenging than others. Yoga teaches to take those few positions and to do them properly -- as correctly and slowly as you possibly can so that your body can be trained in an exact expertise and control. And the var...more

The History of Yoga

...ght limbs of yoga as follows: the yamas (restraints), niyamas (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breathing), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyani (meditation), and samadhi (absorption).

There are many branches of yoga. In Raja yoga the focus is on meditation. Karma yoga states that what we experience today is a result of past actions. In Bhakti yoga the focus is on channeling emotions in a positive manner. The various branches of yoga offe...more